I attended the National Recreation and Park Association Annual Conference for the first time in Dallas in 2023. I want to begin by saying that NRPA made it possible for me to attend when they awarded me the 2023 Young Professional Fellowship. Not only did this assist me financially, but the mentoring, networking and connections made available to me were second to none.
Attending this conference for just one short week helped to broaden my knowledge more than I could have imagined. I was able to sit down face to face with professionals all over the country and talk through the challenges and triumphs we experience every day as park and recreation professionals.
Pictured: Haley Colucci, CPRP, receives the Young Professional Fellowship at the Best of the Best ceremony at the 2023 NRPA Annual Conference.
From the outstanding speakers, roundtable discussions and networking organized by the association, I can’t say enough how positive my experience was. I believe that because of attending this conference in 2023, I have made lifelong friends and professional relationships that I will forever cherish.
Pictured: Haley Colucci and other scholarship and fellowship recipients at the 2023 NRPA Annual Conference.
I am looking forward to attending again at the upcoming 2024 NRPA Annual Conference in Atlanta and continuing to grow my knowledge and network of the best professionals out there! Thank you NRPA for all that you do.
Join me at the 2024 NRPA Annual Conference October 8-10
Haley Colucci, CPRP (she/her), is the marketing & communications manager for Oak Brook Park District.